Last Sunday (July 25), The New York Times released their findings on some 92,000 secret documents detailing a variety of information from the last six years of the war in Afghanistan The secret reports were posted online by WikiLeaks.org whose goal, writes The Times, “is to reveal ‘unethical behavior’ by governments and corporations.” WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told The Times that the documents show “not only the severe incidents...

After a week of sensational claims, a resignation, revelations, apologies, non-apologies, and hype surrounding wrongful allegations of racism against Shirley Sherrod, three points emerge: Point 1. Andrew Breitbart, the faux journalist who broke the story of Sherrod’s faux racism refused to apologize after the truth came out.  While most of the media did a 180, includingFox’s Bill O’Reilly, Breitbart played the...

It began with words that insult and incite, then quickly escalated to rapid-fire judgments so full of agendas, and self-interest that is was doomed to collapse under the weight of its own hypocrisy. And what was revealed in the end was a lie. “All drama is about lies. When the lie is exposed, the play is over.” That’s David Mamet...

In a week that has seen The Vapid, where I looked at the media’s obsession with stories more meaningless than meaningful; Stupid, where I talk about the tactless remarks made by Cleveland Cavalier’s owner Dan Gilbert in reaction to LeBron James’ decision to leave the team, followed by the equally irresponsible comments by Rev. Jesse Jackson about Gilbert’s, I thought we needed a little break....

Q: How many egos does it take to screw things up? A:  In the case LeBron James’ recent decision to leave theCleveland Cavaliers and play for the Miami Heat, three: James, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and Reverend Jesse Jackson. After The Decision, it didn’t take long for majority owner Gilbert to post an open-letter addressed to “Cleveland Fans” regarding James’ choice: “As you now know,  » Read more about: Stupid...

I don’t know if it was the heat or humidity covering much of the East Coast, but last week the media continued its pursuit of stories that have little or no meaningful substance. Last Tuesday, a Los Angeles judge sentenced Lindsay Lohan to 90 days in jail after the actress violated terms of her probation – certainly worthy of a...

After losing all four limbs to a roadside bomb on Easter Sunday 2009, U.S. Army infantryman Brendan Marrocco doesn’t even come close to showing the kind of emotional cracks to his confidence many others would surely face, including me. To look at photos of Marrocco, 23 during his year-long rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is to witness a strength of character and...

While people can disagree about religious, political and cultural values, most are not likely to disagree about universal, ethical values. I haven’t come across a levelheaded individual who does not wish to be treated honestly, fairly or with respect. However, those same people can disagree about what is right within a given circumstance. According to a recent report (June 30)...

Winston Churchill famously said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” I’m not sure exactly when he said that, but with the presence of the Internet, I’m positive the time frame has been reduced to a nanosecond. One of the best resources for questions concerning journalism’s purpose and responsibility is the Pew...

Picking up my newspapers last Thursday, I’m walking back to the front door when a front page story on the Wall Street Journal grabs me by the throat – Little Dog Caught in Big Estate Feud. Is this the Journal or an accidental delivery of The National Inquirer? What’s the deal with rich, old widows who die and leave millions to their pets?   » Read more about:...